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Being the people's champ requires something entirely different, but equally tough - possessing the kind of personality that wins the hearts and minds of the public. With the release of his highly anticipated major label debut LP, the people's champ rapper Paul Wall affirms his status as one of the most appealing and charismatic young voices to emerge from hip hop's Southern hemisphere.
"My Music is about hustling, not just hustling in terms of the block," explains the 24-year-old Houston Texan. "It's music that inspires you to go out there and get it - doing whatever you gotta' do. As far as being the peoples champ, I've always treated people with respect whether you work in the mailroom or your're the president of the company. And the people in general have really embraced me for that."
Thanks largely to his dynamic third verse behind H-Town pro's Slim Thug and Mike Jones on 2005's single "Still Tippin'," Pauls nimbe flow, clever wordplay, and molasses thick Texas drawl have been embraced by hordes of new fans in recent months.
Paul dreamt of one day rapping professionally back from his days as a teenager growing up on Houston's Northwest Side. At 14 he began doing street team promotions in Houston for record labels like Def Jam, Cash Money, and No Limit, while honing his rhyming skills on the side. Eventually by 1997 his circle of street team clients came to include Michael 5000 Watts, impresario of local mixtape juggernaut Swisha House.
Inspired by the "Skrewed and Chopped" musical innovations of Houston's own legendary DJ Skrew. Paul further ingratiated himself to the regional music scene by developing into an accomplished DJ in his own right. With these dual talents in his arsenal he launched an underground recording career that saw his first four independently released albums for the Paid in Full label-Get Your Mind Correct, The Chick Magnet, Controversy Sells, and How To Be a Player-each charted for at least 15 consecutive weeks on the Billboard Rap Chart. No better example of Paul's allegiance to his roots can be heard on the people's champ bangin' lead single, "Sittin' Sideways," featuring original Skrewed Up Clique member Big Pokey.
"Comin' up as a rapper from the South my inspirations and pioneers were artists like UGK, Lil'Keke, Fat Pat, Screwed Up Clique, and street Military." says Paul.
Elsewhere, the people's champ knockout blows arrive from both expected and unexpected angles. While Paul defines his hustling credo over the menacing piano chords of "Trill"- Trill is when you hustle/Trill is when grind/Trill is when you punch in that clock overtime/Trill is when you keep it real 100 percent /Hold it down for your team, run your game full sprint-"Stand Up" ingeniously pairs his down south steez with energetic exhortations from Philly's own Freeway.
"It was terrible," Paul admits of some of those rough early years. "But I've never been the type to make excuses. I just try to find a solution. I just deal with it and move on."
Spoken like a true people's champion.
